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Assistant Professor Sarah Bergbreiter (ME/ISR) is the principal investigator for a new National Robotics Initiative grant, “Active Skins for Simplified Tactile Feedback in Robotics.” The research project is one of eight selected by the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the initiative. Bergbreiter’s project will support NASA’s future missions in space.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) managed the solicitation of proposals and participated in the peer review selection process. Awards range from $150,000 to $1 million, with a total of $2.7 million to be invested in the eight winning projects.

About the National Robotics InitiativeThe National Robotics Initiative was announced in the summer of 2011 as one part of the White House's Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, a broad effort to promote a resurgence of American manufacturing. The National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, NASA, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Defense (through its DURIP program) are providing research funding for next-generation robotics.

The initiative focuses on developing robots that work with or beside people to extend or augment human capabilities, taking advantage of the different strengths of humans and robots. In addition to investing in the core technology needed for next-generation robotics, the initiative supports applications such as robots that can increase the productivity of workers in the manufacturing sector; assist astronauts in dangerous and expensive missions; help scientists accelerate the discovery of new, life-saving drugs; and improve food safety by rapidly sensing microbial contamination. Examples of the types of robots being developed include household robots, surgical robots, and scout robots.